Material disintegrating and removing apparatus



l f. e WV 7 5 e 1, H du e @nl f 1 w 6l 0 8 Z, W 2 7n s .m AW? 2 w g w I n a m 0J w 5/ .2 an n ,0; s f?. 0 H 0E M r .J L m mw 2 i- 6 ww m a R 1. W ,3 4 m i 7 E w m u. f7... H A 6 m lm G E g n.. m n Y m i- 2 Y y 4 7, n 5 A T l d 7. A v n .Z 5 M 9 1 0. 2, v n. d, .b 1. e r F lllind I\\ lf nited States Patent MATERIAL DSINTEGRATING AND REMOVING APPARATUS John D. Russell, Cranberry Township, Venango County, Pa., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pitts burgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 29, 1950, Serial No. 181,977

13 Claims. (CI. 2629) This invention relates to continuous miners, and more particularly to the material disintegrating and removing apparatus of such machines.

ln `a well-known type of continuous miner there is provided at the forward end of the same a material disintegrating and moving -apparatus which is in the form of a trame about which there are caused to circulate in elongated, like orbits a series of disintegrating element-carrying chains, `the upper runs of which travel outwardly with respect to the mine face under attack; and these chains not only act, with the forward portions thereof, to tear loose the coal or other mineral from the vein, but to con-V vey it away from the face, through a distance of some feet, along the top of the disintegrating mechanism, and to discharge it into a llight conveyor which extends forwardly and downwardly from a point to `the rear of the disintegrating yapparatus to a position, at its forward end, below the level of the rearward end of the diSintegratin-g apparatus and in such longitudinal relation to the latter that material discharged over the rearward end of the latter will be received and carried rearwardly by the Hight conveyor. With such a disintegrating apparatus, a relatively lange number of disintegrating elements must be used, they have little lateral llexibility, each must drag or tear loose the material in its path, and there is negligible opportunity for certain elements to position themselves automatically to take paths of least resistance and thus provide a set-up whereby succeeding elements may rip loose larger masses than would be present to be detached if each element had to tear through whatever lay in its restricted path of movement. Moreover, the element olf vibration in the detachment of material is less than is possible when disintegrating elements having substantial lateral freedom of movement are provided as hereinafter described.

An object of the invention is to provide lan improved disintegrating apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved disintegratin-g and materialmoving ,apparatus adapted advantageously to replace the type of disintegrating apparatus of the multiple-chain type heretofore employed. A further object is to provide an improved mounting for disintegrating elements. Still another object is to provide an improved arrangement of disintegrating devices and of material receiving devices for the eective detachment and rearward conveying of minerai from a vein. A further object is to provide au improved driving arrangement for cooperating vein-disintegrating and material moving devices. Other objects and advantages of the invention will subsequently appear.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the forward end of a continuous miner in which the illustrative embodiment of the invention is incorporated; l

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the plane of the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

2,781,187 Patented Feb. 12, 1957,Y

lCe

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; A

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view on the same plane `as Fig. 2, showing details of the mounting of a disintegrating element;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on the same pllane as Fig. 3, showing details of the mounting of a disintegrating element; and

Fig. 6 is a -transverse vertical section on the plane of the line 6 6 or Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, there will be noted at 1 the longitudinally reciprocable frame which is characteristic. of certain well-known miners. This reciprocable frame, which is advanced to effect sumping and retracted to eiectwithdrawal of a dis-integrating mechanism which is mounted thereon, herein supports a power driven flight conveyor 2 which receives disintegrated material from my improved disintegrating and material delivery apparatus and delivers it rearwardly to a hopper for delivery ffrom the latter to a desired point. The frame 1 supports my improved disintegrating and disintegrated material-movin-g apparatus, which is generally designated 3, for swinging in vertical planes about an axis A, which lies in the same straight line with the axis of a shalft 4, which shaft is suitabily journaled and driven. The disintegrau'ng and disintegrated material-moving apparatus 3 comprises side `trames or bars 7 and 8 xedly connected together by transversely extending deck plates 9 and 10 and by reinforcing angle-like elements 1l, the pilates 9 and 10 and the angle-like elements being welded at their laterally opposite extremities to the side frames or bars 7 and 8. The deck plates 9 and 1) :are respectively upper and lower, with respect to each other, yand they are connected at their forward ends by an arcuate plate 13, which is also welded at its laterally opposite ends to the yframes 7 and 8, and are further connected at their rearward ends by ra pair of cylindrical tubular housing yand conveyor chain-guiding members 14 and 15, these being spaced from each other at their adjacent ends and, at their mutually opposite ends spaced from the frames 7 and 8. The trames 7 and 3 correspond in structure to conventional cutter bars, and consist of main body portions 29 and, relatively adjustable with respect to said main body portions, front nose portions 21, and said frames have guiding grooves 22 about their margins in which chains 23 and 24 are adapted-to circulate.

A ight conveyor 25, of the center-chain type, is being adapted to be circulated over the upper deck plate 9 and beneath the lower deck plate 10. It comprisesv a suitable chain 26 having spaced flights 27 secured toit. The chain is guided at its `forward end by a guide roller. 28 journaled on a shaft 29 fixed at its opposite ends to the side bars or frames 7, 8. The drive of the chain 26 will be later described. Above the forward end of the chain 26 is a generally triangular (in cross section) deector device 30 for receiving material from portions of the disintegrating apparatus later to be described and,V causing its delivery to the rearwardly moving portion of the flight conveyor. This deector device 30 issecured at its opposite ends to supporting slides 31 which carry the front nose portions 21, 21. It is therefore adjustable with the nose portions Zit-when the latter are adjusted. At the rear end of the ight conveyor 25 there is another interceptng device 32 for directing the material carried back by the flight conveyor chain 26. This device is mounted just above theconveyor 2 at the forward portion of the latter, being secured at its opposite ends to side frame members 33, 34 of a trough 35 in which the conveyor 2 travels, and being also secured to the upturned forward end 36 of a housing 37 for the conveyor 2. The apparatus 3 may be moved upwardly by mechanism'such as is shown in my Patent No. 2,7 5 1,208, granted 3 June 19.-, 1956 and which includes chains 42, 42, cylinder and piston mechanisms 43, 43 fastened to the side frames 7, 8, and other devices not'herein illustrated, but fully disclosed infsai-d application.'

Extending between the frames 7 "and'.8,radjournaled intheframe f1, and-.suitably driven, istheshaftri, above mentioned. This has a splined centralportion'S, and carries, near the opposite ends ofthe;splined'portionl,

Vdrive sprockets '52,-Which are adapted to drive Athe chains V23 and 24. At 'the v*middle of the splined portion and between the tubular elements14 andl151iis a drive sprocket 53 for :the chain 26 of the flight conveyor. fEach of -the sprockets mentioned, by reasonofitszsplinedconnection withthe shaftV 4, isrotated :bythe latter. Sleeves 155 and tispace :thesproclietx53from the sprockets 1752. It'will thus be :apparentthat'the sideh'airisl 23` and 24 and the flight conveyor `25are driven from 'the shaft 4, which is disposed with` its .axis of'rotation in the same straight line-'withthefaxis mas abov'pointed out.

The .chains.23 =and24v are, except'that they arelmore heavily land `strongly constructed, .shown zas' of Vthe con- Y ventional luggedlblock and connecting link type commonly usedfascutter chains, andcomprise disintegrating'element carrying lugged blocks 6l vconnected by connecting links 62 through pivot pins 63, -and the blocks 61 carry replaceable disintegrating elements 65 suitably disposed to tear out the coal or other mineral over al-width ofv several inches.

Atthe forward end of the' disintegrating apparatus-a cross shaft 71 extends between the nose portions 21 of the `frames 7 and 3. This Vshaft rotatably supports, as by'bearings 72, a hollowshaft '73, which is herein shown as carrying suitably laterally spaced sprocket portions 74, and las having 4iixed to it at its ends, a's at '75, chain sprockets 76 about which the chains 23 and 24 pass. By thisl arrangement, Athe chains 23 and 24 constitute driving means for the sprocket portions 74. The severalsprocke't portions Y74 have sprocket'teeth 74 and each of these sproeketportions has a 'continuous loop L ofdisinteg'rating Ychain around it and held in -position on i't'only by the Vengagement of the teeth 74 in thespace's between the Vends of adjacent connecting links 76 Vand between the side anges or portions 77 of disintegrating elementcarrying links or blocks 78; These latter linksV carry replaceable `disintegratingV elements' 79.V Pivot'p'ins "80 connect the V'blocks`78 with the connectinglinks 76'.' The side'fanges77 of the blocks78 are 'spacedsomewhat'more widely'thanthe thickness, transversely, 'of vthe 'sprocket teeth .74', and the circumferential thickness of the sprocket teeth74 is less than the distance between the adjacent end'sjof theV connecting VlinksV 76'. The 'overall'length of thechan loops, measured'along a circle 'passing 'through the-faxes of rhelpiv'ot pins Y80, also slightly exceeds )the circumference of thepitch circle of the sprockets. Thus the"disintegrating 'elements 79 heldin the 'lugged blocks 78 areffree V-to move laterally and`alsoslightly in 'radial directions andt'o follow the easiest paths "in the material under-attack.

The trough a't its forward `end is ilanked by' triangular, rearwardly converging, deflecting plate porttiin'sV 81 82, 'and 83, which's'ervev to deflect material brought lb'ack by the side chains Y23 and 24 and to Vguideit to fthe' trough 351'abovefmentioned. Forwardly of these plate portions areopcning's 84, l84 through whch'the vchains'23"and24 passfa's' 'they kmove 'about the sprockets v52,` 52. The 'inten cepting device 32, Ywhich `may vbe 'of built-'upconsjtruc- Y tion, has-a downwardly, rearwardlyv slopingup'per plate portion-86 which is cutawaya't its 'endsf'a's at 87 "-tofp'rovide the openings v8,4,`841and which has 4a' forward edge 'ssvadjacent therearwardendsiof'me night conveyance 'andreceiving 'materialfbrought back by the. latter.

v fF'rom the 'foregoing description, fthe mode of operation oflthe villustrative embodiment ofthe invention will be understood. The shaft 4 is Ydriven as hereinabove ex- `plained. Accordingly, therdrvesprockets 52 are rotated and these cause the chains 23and 24 to be circulated. The circulation of these chains etects rotation of the sprockets 76 and, accordingly, the tubular drive element 73` is rotated, turning with it the several sprocket portions 74. These are chain wrapped, as above explained, and, accordingly, the lcontinuous .loops of chains which are carried by the sprocketportions'are'caused, as itwere`,to circulate in orbits surrounding the axis of the shaft 71. All 'of the chains'the Side Chains'23'a`1id 24 and the (herein four) chain 'loops L'Lcoo'pejrate in the/forming, during the sumping operation, of an opening which is preferably formed 4at the bottom of the workingace, and then as the disintegrating apparatus is swung upwardly the several chains tear orf the coal whichoverlies them andis ahead of them in their path of upward movement. The coal torn loose and brought out by the side chains 23 and 24 isdetlected by the plate portions 81, '82,83 to the conveyortrough 35. The'coal or other mineral detached by the disintegratng elements carriedby 'the' blocks 78 ofY the chain loops L is thrown into the path'of movement of the ilight conveyor 25, or elsepnto the Vtop of the'deflector i-over'which it vismoved into the path of the flight conveyr v25. The 'sumping operation willdesirably be terminated when vit has proceeded to va distance approximatelyV equal to, but which may be, depending on the construction of the parts, `either Vslightly "more ory slightly less than, thediameter of the circles 'sweptthrough `by the disintegrating elements carried by fthe Yblocks 7'8. Because of the nature of 'the support`of"the'chain loops L by the sproc'ketportions '74,'it Will'beappreciated that theremay'bea'substantial lateral "motion'of the disintegrating -eleme`ntsi79. iThese may thus, to an extent, choose their paths, within comparatively narrow limits, with the result that Vat Vtir'r'ies they may 'seek 'thepath of least resista'nce,.while atother times they'will, through engagementwithl relatively large 'masses fof'rundetached solid coal, tend Vto remove pieces of larger size than 'would be removed ifthe bits ordis'integra'ting elements' were confine/d relatively rigidlyto'predetermined paths.

y(It will benotediftlat'the disintegrating elements on the loops Lfand on the chains I23 and 24, are arranged in suitablek lacin'gs so that they cumulativel'y remove the coal or Yother mineral over awidth equal tothe full width of the forward portion of the jdi'sintegratingapparatus.

n addition to fthe other advantages mentioned 'of the loose 'support-of the loops L on 'thesp'rocket portions 74, it will'be appreciated -'thatv the increased `range for vibratorymovement' 'ofthe lbits carried by the `loops'L-will promote the desired Ldisinte'grating operation, It Ywill be understoodthat 'this looseness isnot Vonly 'a lateral looseness, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, but also that there is a degree 'of lo'osenes's inadirection circumierentiaily of the sprocketpo'rti-ons 74,wh'ich permits not only a certain amount 'of play 'between the'chain loops L and the sprocket'porti'ons circumferentially of'the latter, but also 'a slightradia'l `capa'citytormovement on the part of the elements 79. The loose support of the loops L on lthe sprocket portions, etc; isnow being claimed in myco'pending application Serial yNo. 571,292, filed March 13,V 1956'. The Vlocation of :the flight conveyor .25; essen- Ytially.between.the.' tops and bottornscf thebfarrportions 20, insures a-very'ceffeetive.reinovalfof the coal or other mineral Adetachedby the .disintegrating 'elements on' the chainV loops L, andprovides :also a very .rugged construek avente? What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, in a material-disintegrating and conveying apparatus, side bars having upper and lower edges and connected at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at their rearward ends for swinging movement, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying three drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars and the third midway between said two, a shaft element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation on an axis parallel to said first mentioned axis and midway between the upper and lower edges of said bars, chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided on said side bars and connected in driving relation with said shaft element and carrying material disintegrating elements, a plurality of disintegrating elements supported by said shaft element and rotated by the latter, and a flight conveyor arranged in the space between said side bars and including a conveyor chain having opposite edges in adjacency to said side bars and engaging and driven by said third sprocket and having an idler disposed closely adjacent to and rearwardly of said shaft velement at a fixed distance from the latter and carried by said bars between the upper and lower edges thereof.

2. In combination, in a material-disintegrating and conveying apparatus, side bars having at least substantially rectilinear upper and lower edges and connected at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at vtheir rearward ends for swinging movement, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying three drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars and the third midway between said two, a shaft element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation on an axis parallel to said first mentioned axis and at least substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of said side bars, chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided on said side bars and connected in driving relation with said shaft element and carrying material disintegrating elements, a plurality of disintegrating elements supported by said shaft element and rotated by the latter, and a ight conveyor arranged between said side bars and including at least one deck plate extending between said side bars in the space between the upper and lower edges of the latter and xed to the latter and a conveyor chain movable over said deck plate and driven directly by said third sprocket and having an idler disposed rearwardly of and closely adjacent to said shaft element above the lower edges of said side bars.

3. In combination, in a material-disintegrating and conveying apparatus, side bars having upper and lower edges and connected `at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at their rearward ends for swinging movement, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying three drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars and the third midway between said two, a shaft element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation on an axis parallel to said rst mentioned axis and spaced similarly to the latter from the lower edge of said side bars, chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided on said side bars and connected in driving relation with said shaft element and carrying material disintegrating elements, a plurality of disintegrating elements supported by said shaft element and rotated by the latter, said disintegrating elements having lateral play relative to said'shaft element, and a ight conveyor arranged between said side bars and including a conveyor chain en- Y gaging and driven by said third sprocket and of a width .tohandle the material between said side bars and having an' idler disposed close to and rearwardly of said shaft element and at a fixed distance from the latter and disposed above the lower edges of said side bars.

4. In combination, in a Ymaterial-disintegrating and conveying apparatus,`side bars having upper and lower edges and connected at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at their rearward ends for swinging movement, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying three drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars and the third midway between said two, a shaft element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation -on an axis parallel to said first mentioned axis, orbitally moving chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided on said side bars and connected in driving relation with said shaft element and carrying material disintegrating elements moving in orbits determined by the orbits of said chains, a plurality of circular series of disintegrating elements supported'by said shaft element and rotated by the latter in orbits of a diameter as great as the maximum width of the orbits of said material disintegrating elements, and a flight conveyor arranged between said side bars terminating at its forward end to the rear of the forward ends of said side bars and disposed between the upper and lower edges of the latter and including a conveyor chain engaged and driven by said third sprocket and having an idler disposed closely adjacent to and rearwardly of said shaft element above the lower edges of said side bars, said conveyor chain having for its guidance an upper deck plate fixed to said side bars and having its forward end close to a midpoint between the top and bottom edges of said side bars.

5. In combination, in a material-disintegrating and conveying apparatus, side bars having upper and lower edges and connected at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at their rearward ends for swinging movement, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying a plurality of drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars, a shaft element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation on an axis parallel to said first mentioned axis, chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided on said side bars and connected in driving relation with said shaft element and carrying material disintegrating elements, a plurality of orbitally moving disintegrating elements supported by said shaft element and rotated by the latter, and a flight conveyor arranged between said side bars between the upper and lower edges of the latter and having an idler disposed rearwardly of said shaft element above the lower edges of said side bars and having a drive sprocket on and driven by said first mentioned shaft, said flight conveyor having a deector device overlying its forward end and having a transversely horizontal upper edge in a plane substantially tangential to and disposed adjacent the orbits of said disintegrating elements which are supported by said shaft element and extended upwardly to a position above a transverse plane parallel to the upper edges of said side bars and bisecting the orbits of said disintegrating elements supported by said shaft element.

6. In combination, in a material-disintegrating and conveying apparatus, side bars having parallel upper and lower edges and connected at their forward ends and pivotally mounted at their rearward ends for swinging movement upon a horizontal axis, a drive shaft having its axis in the same straight line with the axis of such swinging movement and carrying a plurality of drive sprockets, two in line with said side bars, a shaftl element rotatively supported at the end of the bars remote from said axis for rotation on an axis parallel to said first mentioned axis, chains driven by the sprockets in line with the side bars and guided in parallel rectilinear paths on averne? conveyor arranged in the space between said side bars an-d driven by said at least one other drive sprocket and having an idler disposed rearwardly of said shaft element and having a supporting shaft supported at its opposite ends on said side bars against translatory movement relative to the latter, said conveyor having an orbit of movement having its lower edge substantially parallel to the lower edges of said bars and between said rectilinear portions and an upper edge sloping upwardly and rearwardly relative to the upper edges of said bars and at all points below the tops of the latter,

ll. In a mine vein disintegrating mechanism, swingable in vertical planes for dislodging mineral from a solid mine vein, the combination comprising a frameV pivotally mounted at its rearward portion to swing in vertical planes between the oor and roof of a mine, a toothed disintegrating drum journaled on the outer portion of said frame to revolve about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said frame, said frame having parallel vertical side frame portions and a transverse portion extending between said vertical side portions rearwardly of said drum, said transverse portion having a planev top surface, said drum extending transversely between said vertical side portions, endless toothed side disintegrating chains journaled on said vertical frame portions for circulation in parallel vertical orbits and operatively connected to said drum for rotating the latter, drive shaft means coaxial with the frame pivot and operatively connected to said side chains for driving the latter, and endless conveying means guided for orbital circulation on said transverse frame portion intermediate said vertical side frame portions and having a top run moving rearwardly of said frame and inclined upwardly and rearwardly with respect to a longitudinal plane including the pivotal axis of said frame and the axis of drum rotation, said conveying means terminating at its forward portion rearwardly of said drum in adjacency to the lower rearward portion of said drum in lixed spacial relation with respect to the drum axis and said frame, said conveying means receiving disintegrated mineral discharged from the upper rearward portion of said drum in all angular positions of said frame about its pivot between the floor and room, the top run of said conveyor moving rearwardly along said plane top surface for conveying the disintegrated mineral rearwardly of said frame, said plane top surface of said transverse frame portion cooperating with the inner side surfaces of said vertical side portions o said frame to provide a hopperlike chamber becoming progressively larger in cross section as said conveying means inclines forwardly and downwardly toward said drum, said hopperlike chamber providing a storage space for receiving the disintegrated mineral discharged from said drum in all positions of said frame about its pivot, said top run of said conveying means moving the mineral stored within said hopperlike chamber rearwardly of said frame to discharge at the rear end of said frame.

12. A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said transverse frame portion comprises a deflector eX- tending transversely of said frame rearwardly of and adjacent to the upper rearward portion of said drum, said deector overlying the forward portion of said conveying means and extending vacross said hopperlike chamber bei neath the top of said vertical side portions of said frame, said deector rigidly secured at its ends to said vertical side frame portions, said deiiector directing the disintegrated mineral discharged from said drum rearwardly and downwardly toward said conveying means.

13. A combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said inclined top plane surface of said transverse frame.

portion is disposed above said plane which includes the pivotal axis of said frame and the axis of drum-rotation, said transverse frame portion being rigidly united with said side frame portions, and the angular relation of said plane top surface being fixed with respect to said frame and the drum-axis and said hopperlike chamber being of a xed volumetric capacity, in all angular positions of said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 555,401 Rademacher Feb. 25, 1896 1,143,897 Flexner et al. June 22, 1915 1,538,947 Newman May 26, 1925 1,565,376 Levin Dec. 15, 1925 1,581,685 Oldroyd Apr. 20, 1926 .1,811,927 Halleck a June 30, 1931 2,096,917 Pray Oct. 26, 1937 2,282,704 Butters May 12, 1,942 2,287,230 Cartlidge June 23, 1942 2,358,849 Cartlidge Sept. 26, 1944 2,415,217 Osgood Feb. 4, 1947 2,564,038 Stephenson Aug. 14, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 932,037 France Nov. 17, 1947 

